Q-Less

It was a grand day for errands.

Not too many people on the street, she’d slept well last night after a phone call with Moon; Shandra looked the picture of a tourist today, at least in the carefree gait to her step. She had a big pair of sunglasses over her eyes, her favorite yellow skirt, and shopping bag hooked on her elbow; in her hands was a list of groceries that she was eyeing and checking off as she walked. 

Her faithful Meowth pitter-patted along next to her, whiskers perky, eyes big - it was always eager to survey everything and everyone around it, though these days it didn’t seem quite as aggressive as it had once been.

At least, until it saw an Espurr bolting toward its favorite human.

“Miiiiow! Miiiiow!” It shrieked - but Shandra wasn’t really paying attention.

“I know, I know, we’ll get some food next stop,” Shandra replied, “Now that we have the potions, and -”

Then something collided with her leg. She stopped walking, just in time to feel whatever it was slap her for daring to be in the way.

Meowth was displeased, to say the least - he hissed and shuffled himself between Shandra and Metronome, and the trainer who was apologizing.

But then, as soon as Quentin had finished his explanation, Shandra giggled. 

“Oh! That’s okay. What a sweet little scamp, was I in your way?” She cooed, looking the Espurr over. Meowth relaxed and shook the tension from itself. 

“You’re right on the money - I do know how it is, yeah,” Shandra added, gesturing at the Meowth. “This one was a handful when he was younger. Just like I was, I guess. But I’ve got a Litleo who barely knows how to walk at this point, and he’s… a handful.” 

Her eyes drifted over to Fermata. “Oh! Is that a Lucario? I’ve actually never seen one in person before!” She exclaimed. Introductions be darned - it was time to geek out over such a strong and popular Pokemon. 

"That is adorable," Quentin said, thinking about the Litleo she mentioned. No one could resist the cuteness of a baby pokemon, it's why he was practically smothered his Espurr with attention. "Metronome here can walk, the problem is he's too good at it. Take your eyes off him for a second, and he's causing trouble somewhere."

Metronome squirmed in Quentin's arms, clearly trying to get free again. Quentin tightened his grip, not wanting the kitten to get into any more trouble, before sighing again and scratching behind the pokemon's ears.

"I'm sure he's sorry. Like I said, he's just young and doesn't quite understand everything yet. He meant no harm." Quentin said, awkwardly smiling at the woman.

Quentin had just met this woman, but he was starting to like her already. Anyone that listened to him rant about his pokemon and how much he loved them was a good person in his book!

"I've had Fermata for years now, he's my best friend and all of that stuff. We're practically inseparable. And if you wanna talk about troublesome pokemon. When this guy was a Riolu, he would chew up anything he could get his little paws on. Some of my books still have teeth marks in them. He doesn't chew things anymore. Now he's just...moody."

Quentin chuckled leaning against Fermata a little. No reaction, as always. Instead, Fermata was looking down at the Meowth. Clearly, he didn't trust it, but then again, Fermata didn't trust most pokemon. Quentin sighed, bumping his pokemon with his elbow in an attempt to calm him down.

He looked down at the Meowth as well, and something clicked. His eyes widened, and he gripped Metronome tighter. He crouched down to look at the small, cream-colored pokemon.

"Interesting..." He muttered to himself.

Mega Evolution.

It had been quite the hot topic back in the day, but now it’s mostly faded away into obscurity. Though the trainers more interested in getting stronger have certainly pursued it’s capabilities.

“Well…I don’t blame your Lucario for not wanting to go through it.” Mimi mused to herself as she remembered the outburst of controversy when it had been revealed that Mega Evolution actually puts the pokemon into a considerable amount of pain and stress when used.

Maybe that was why it required a lot of trust and bond between a trainer and their pokemon to Mega Evolve?

“I-I’m curious too! I want to look more into it because…well I wonder if it’s only a few specific pokemon who are capable of Mega Evolving or if any pokemon can do it? I even heard that there’s this strange thing going on in a foreign region that’s kinda like Mega Evolution too!” Mimi said showcasing her knowledge.

Hm… Maybe being a scientist was her natural path in life? This would have to be something she should consider further.

“Well being a scientist is pretty difficult isn’t it? It’s hard to find anything new or anything that could cause a breakthrough. Maybe you should go to other regions and find undiscovered stuff there?”

Though…that sounded more like an explorer than a scientist. Maybe the two weren’t so different?

"Well, I know for some cases of Mega Evolution might not be entirely dependant on the pokemon. Aerodactyl's form is said to be what the pokemon truly looked like millions of years ago. Perhaps other fossil pokemon can mega evolve then."

Quentin said, grabbing a pen and making another note in his journal. Finding out why only certain pokemon could mega evolve would make an interesting bit of research.

"Being a scientist is very difficult," Quentin said, sighing heavily. Countless nights worth of work all came rushing back to him in an instant. He was just starting to cheer up, and his mood was right back where he started. "Yeah. It's tough. It makes you want to rip your hair out, and tear up all your books, and just get a normal job somewhere! And yet..." Quentin closed his eyes, leaning back again.

"That brief moment when you finally piece together some bits of the puzzle, or you notice something you never saw before, it just makes it all worth it. You might not make a groundbreaking discovery, but the feeling that you're making the world a better place, or you're finding answers to life's big questions, or even the feeling that you're just the smartest person around. That makes it all worth it."

Quentin opened his eyes, sat up straight, and placed his hands on the table.

Quentin and Fermata stared intently at the pokemon in front of them. Neither wanted to take their eyes off of it for a minute, fearing something terrible might happen if they did. Only a few feet away from the duo was the pokemon in question. Metronome, leading the way down the road.

The Espurr loved to explore but rarely got a chance too with how busy Quentin was most of the time. That morning he had insisted, in his little kitten way, to stay out of his Pokeball and have some fun. The stubborn mews and meows were enough to convince Quentin, and now the little psychic type was in charge of choosing the group’s route. Was the middle of a city the best place to let him explore? Probably not, but Quentin couldn’t resist that cute little face! Luckily the streets weren’t too crowded.

“He’s fine. Everything’s fine!” Quentin said, chuckling nervously and looking at Fermata. While Metronome was enjoying himself, Quentin and his Lucario weren’t. The two were like overprotective parents, constantly worrying about any trouble the Espurr might get into. “Nothing bad is going to happen Fermata. We’re right here, and Metronome will be fine.

Quentin patted his pokemon on the back, looked ahead, and gasped loudly. Metronome was a lot faster than he looked. Thankfully he was still in sight, but was too far away for the trainer or Lucario to feel comfortable. Especially not with him walking towards a few people. 

It seemed Metronome was following in his trainer’s footsteps by not looking where he was going. He bumped into the back of someone’s legs, before falling back on his behind. Metronome quickly got up, before angrily meowing at the leg he collided with. He even slapped it once but it came off more like a soft tap due to his size.

"Metronoooooome!” Quentin exclaimed, rushing towards his pokemon and picking him up quickly. He held the Espurr, who was squirming around and trying to get free, against his chest tightly. “You can’t go around hitting people like that. It’s not nice.”

He then directed his attention to the other human.

She’d dug too deep, and could see it plainly. If Kana had the ability to backtrack, she certainly would have in that moment. But, no, she’s only blessed with the ability to communicate with the dead and reading people painfully well. The woman wasn’t too sure what to expect from him after prying so hard, but was definitely taken aback by his reply, how his demeanor flipped so suddenly.

Kana didn’t take the moment lightly. Backed off immediately as he grew defensive of himself, and his Pokemon. She could feel her face getting warm, cheeks reddening - embarrassed. To be honest, she hadn’t even meant what she said in the sense that he’d taken it - her train of thought usually leaning toward the human aspect of it all, she’d all but forgotten that for some people, their Pokemon are their family, their friend, everything.

“You’re right.” She held her hands up, a surrender. “I’m sorry. To both of you.” She eyed the Lucario, easily intimidated - though, that wasn’t the driving force behind her apology. Aware that she has a tendency to project her own thoughts, unwarranted, Kana struggled with keeping boundaries. She was raised to be incredibly open about every aspect of her life, of the lives of the people around her, to embrace it. The woman still struggled with the idea that not everybody lived and breathed in the same manner.

That being said, she certainly wanted to say more, but knew very well that she had already said way too much. Still, she hated to leave this conversation with a sour taste in her mouth.

“I’m a Medium, you see. But I’m still an amateur. I read too much in to things, and make stupid assumptions. You clearly find strength in your Pokemon, and vice-versa.” The woman nervously rubbed her shoulder, feeling as though every word would only exist as ringing in his ears. “I can leave … I’m – I’m gonna go.”

"Wait...what?" He shouted, looking between the woman and his Lucario. "Medium? Like, crystal balls and tarot cards kind of medium? Today just keeps getting better and better!" Quentin was starting to get mad again. To say that he disliked the supernatural and beliefs similar to it was an understatement. Before he felt like his privacy was invaded, now he felt used for a cheap parlor trick.

"People are idiots." He mumbled to Fermata, turning around and gesturing to the pokemon that the two should leave. The Pokemon stood in place, looking at his trainer before turning his head to the woman. "Fermata, come!" Quentin ordered, stomping his foot like a child, but the Lucario didn't move from his spot. Quentin stormed over, pointing and glaring at his companion Pokemon. Quentin held his chin up, trying again to be intimidating. "I am not doing this today. Not here, not now."

As was typical for the Pokemon, Fermata gave no response. Instead, he focused his attention more on the woman than on Quentin, an unusual move for such a loyal Pokemon. Quentin mumbled rapidly towards the Pokemon as if the two were having a hushed argument. Then the scientist raised his hands in defeat, taking a few steps back.

"Fine. You win. You always win." He said, shiting his anger to the pokemon. Quentin sighed, rubbing the bridge did his nose before turning to the woman. It seemed like they were going to witness something rarely seen, Quentin was going to apologize.

"Listen, I've had a bad couple of days..." He paused, quickly rephrasing his sentence. "...years. The past few years have been rough. I just started venting to the first person who I thought would listen, and took my anger out on the first person I could blame. I guess both were you. Sorry.”

…Sounds complicated.

In class she was learning about the various Pokemon Professors and their topic of research. If she remembered correctly…Professor Rowan was focused on the exact same thing wasn’t he? Ah if this Q person was from Sinnoh it’d make sense that he’d focus on what the Professor there was studying too.

Wait. Did this mean this person knew Professor Rowan?

With the slight intent to flex of what little she knew about Evolution (and to show off to someone potentially kind of important) Mimi puffed up her chest and began to talk.

“In Kalos where I was from there’s this place that has a really large crystal structure. We don’t know why but it’s connected with finding Mega Stones which cause Mega Evolution. Mega Evolution and Evolution are pretty similar aren’t they? Do you and Professor Rowan know Professor Sycamore?”

"Smart kid," Quentin said, complimenting Mimi on her knowledge. Although, it felt a bit pandering coming from someone who looked as young as Quentin did. "I've heard of the sundial there before. I've never gotten a chance to see it in action."

"I've also never met Professor Sycamore...I haven't met any of the big-name professors..." Quentin admitted after a moment of silence. He looked down at his book again and slowly flipped through the pages. "I haven't really done anything groundbreaking like them, honestly I probably never will. I said I was a scientist...I never said I was a good one."

Quentin pretended to write something down in a journal. He was feeling a little awkward at his sudden admission, and he was quickly trying to come up with something else he could talk about.

Immediately, Jasmine notices the Pokemon accompanying the person before her, a young man who’s stature towers slightly over her shorter frame. However, she doesn’t feel compelled to be skeptical, nor concerned, despite being out walking solo in the dead of night. As a matter of fact, his chosen companions inspire an instant kinship, and so she relaxes her shoulders.

“Is that so?” She flashes a knowing smile, a small chuckle rousing from her. Taking a few strides past the entrance to her Gym and the man standing before it, the brunette rounds the corner — beckoning him to follow the short, brisk walk.

“If you would…” Jasmine nods towards a humble bungalow, tucked beside the Gym and propped up on several stilts. Overlooking the streets below, it’s still dwarfed beside the colossus that is the Olivine Gym. Several flowering plants are potted below the deck, as well as along the staircase leading to her patio-entrance. Delicately, she skips along the steps, until she reaches the top, hair blowing lightly in the salty breeze. The sea sparkles in the night, reflecting that of the stars.

“Why don’t you come up? I wasn’t expecting any visitors, but,” she waves her hand for further invitation. “But as long as you don’t mind a little stargazing and maybe some hot tea, then I wouldn’t mind the company!”

Quentin was instantly nervous as the woman walked past him and around the corner. He looked over at Fermata for reassurance, and the pokemon maintained his stoic manner. Theremin, however, began floating around the corner after Jasmine. The scientist thought to himself before quickly following his Magnemite and the woman around the corner. It had taken him a while to piece it all together, but Quentin got there in the end.

"You're the gym leader!" He said, trying not to trip as he ran around the corner and rushed to catch up to his Magnemite. She looked a lot different than Quentin had expected, and he wasted no time in trying to explain this. "Where I'm from the steel type gym leader is a bit...gruffer than you. I was expecting someone like him!"

The bungalow caught him off guard a little. It was all much smaller than what he was expecting. The night had just begun, and Quentin's views of gym leaders were already changing in more ways than one.

"I always thought they lived in the gyms." He muttered to his pokemon. Theremin beeped once in response while Fermata remained silent. Quentin sighed and shook his head. He loved his pokemon, but sometimes they were too strange for even him to understand. Shaking off the feeling, he took a few more steps closer to the bungalow.

"I don't want to impose. I can come back tomorrow if..." Quentin paused midsentence, immediately picking up one word.

“10 years? I’d expect you to put them back before then.”  Mimi said with a small smile, she had just successfully made a joke. Regardless she did her best to look and find out what exactly he was researching on, but alas she couldn’t comprehend it.

She gave the scientist a curious look as she did her best to gather as much information about this stranger. She had taken to the habit of learning about everyone who had visited this library regularly. 

“Are you from around here? I don’t really recognize you though Castelia is a large place. What are you researching anyways? Is it about pokemon or evolution or something?” 

“Oh uh..my name is Mimi by the way.”

The girl was starting to get on his nerves. It wasn't the near-constant questions, or the need to know every little detail that was irritating him, it was the fact that a few years ago Quentin would've acted the same way. Asking question after question just because he needed to know the answer, regardless of who he was talking to or what the subject was. Even if it was someone’s personal life...

Quentin preferred to keep his life private, so much so that he very rarely told people his real name. However, the girl's curiosity was starting to turn into an interrogation. If he didn't answer, it seemed like she would just repeat herself until he finally gave the information she wanted. He sighed heavily, trying to think a few steps ahead of Mimi and answer her questions before she could ask her next one. 

"I'm from Sinnoh, I just visit Unova a lot. Someone close to me lives in the region, plus my work brings me here." He paused to take a quick breath, before continuing with his rambling answer.

"My research is on pokemon evolution, and how different stages of evolution developed." Quentin paused again, thinking of a simple and quick way to explain his research. "Not just how a Pokemon evolves from one stage to another, but how those changes developed in the first place. It’s long, and complicated, and full of dead ends."

Hearing someone come in, she smiled.

“Please, do come in.” She gestured to a seat. As she waited for the stranger to sit, she shuffled her cards and spread them out.

She looked at the other and said, “Think of a question. Something that is perplexing you. Focus on it… Now choose three cards.”

Quentin jumped when the woman spoke, looking over at his Lucario with another shrug.

"Like I said...you gotta try new things." He gave a nervous chuckle, sitting in the seat the woman gestured to while listening to what she was saying. He was starting to get a little cautious of the whole situation. It was too late to back out now. Plus he had to prove to Fermata that he was right.

A thousand questions ran through the boy's mind, of various levels of importance. Quickly, he narrowed it down to a handful of questions. He was still trying to decide and turned his head to look up at Fermata. He immediately decided on a question.

“Mmmm…..”

The more Mimi stared at the books the less they made sense. It wasn’t fair! Why couldn’t she just figure it out? In her intent to find answers, Mimi had forgone all sort of subtlety and was practically drilling holes into Quentin with her eyes.

When he stopped to confront her on her peeking, she quickly snapped back in surprise.

Eek!

“U-Uh…well…erm…” Mimi instinctively replied quickly to save face.

“….Those are…uh a lot of complicated books aren’t they? What are you some kind of researcher? You’re going to put them all back right?”

"I'm a scientist. What gave it away? Was it the biology books or the lab coat?" Quentin asked, leaning back in his seat and looking toward's the girl. He didn't want to admit it, but deep down Quentin was excited because someone had finally recognized him and his career.

"Trust me, these books are complicated. Not many people understand this stuff." Quentin used the moment to brag about how smart he was, it was a bad habit. He picked up one of the books and began flipping through it. "Thousands of pages of people using big fancy words to talk about big fancy concepts. Thousands of pages and not a single answer."

Quentin groaned, tossing the book back on the stack before running his hands through his hair while muttering to himself. He was tired of reaching dead end after dead end in his research and studies. The frustration was starting to get to him.

Stepping out of her RV, she turned on a dark purple neon sign. It flashed for a moment, before staying lit, letting everyone know the shop was open. However, today, she was only doing tarot readings, instead of selling any wares. It had been awhile since she had focused on that, and really wanted to. After all, she didn’t want to get rusty with her readings.

There was light atmospheric music in the background. If there were any actual words to the song, it would have been lost within the music itself. It was only to help ease the customer and to help her enter a trance state.

As she waited for a customer, she decided to meditate.

"You're no fun, that's why I'm mad!" Quentin said, leading Fermata down the path. The two had been caught in a very one-sided argument. The scientist was mad at his pokemon and his constant unemotional attitude and lack of reaction to everything Quentin said. In other words, he thought the Lucario needed to lighten up. "You gotta be willing to try new experiences, even if you think you won't like them. Like this!"

Quentin wildly gestured to the small shop they had stumbled upon. It was certainly strange, even a little creepy, to see a store of any kind this far away from a city. However, he was just lecturing about trying new things. It would be hypocritical to back out now.

Quentin looked around for anyone he could talk to at the store, and could only see the woman meditating. He stayed quiet for a moment, looking over at Fermata and shrugging.

The southern district is quiet in the dead of night, silent aside from a few Rattata scurrying around the dumpsters in the alley beside Asagi Café. Glitter Lighthouse, in all of it’s splendor, illuminates the distant seas, waves rolling in and crashing along the beach with thundering force. The stars are always loveliest, this time of night.

Jasmine locks the front door of the Café behind her; as always, she’s last to leave. Even though she simply works part-time, her workload remains a constant. And, despite pleas from the family who runs the establishment, Jasmine refuses lessening that load.

“Another full day,” she hums pleasantly to herself with one earbud in, skipping up towards the northern area of town where she resides. The view from her patio, at a slightly higher elevation than the streets to the south, is without a doubt miraculous by now, exciting Jasmine to the point her feet begin carrying her just a tad bit faster. 

“Can’t wait to cozy up with a book… make some tea… hmm?”

Her attention turns to a silhouette bathed in shadow, standing in front of her Gym. She approaches cautiously, but with a soft smile etched upon her face. “Hello there,” she calls out as she nears the other. “Are you… lost, perhaps? If you’ve come to challenge the Gym, I’m afraid it’ll have to wait ‘til tomorrow…”

Quentin didn't understand gym leaders. He didn't like pokemon battles, and he couldn't understand why anyone would enjoy watching one, taking part in one, or even making a career out of one, like a gym leader. However, there was one thing he respected about them. Most of the time, they were experts in their chosen type of pokemon.

Quentin did like steel types. They had fascinated him for years, it was why he liked had multiple ones on his team and always wanted to catch more. Steel types were even the crux of his research. They were even what brought him to Olivine City in the first place.

The scientist stared at the front door to the city's gym, before looking at Fermata and Theremin with a shrug. He thought having two steel types with him would make the Leader more likely to see them, if the gym was even open.  Now he looked odd with a Lucario and a Magnemite as he stared at the closed door. Theremin beeped once, and Quentin responded with a groan.

"I thought these places were always open...how was I supposed to know they had operating hours." He grumbled ready to turn around and leave. The scientist jumped when he heard someone call to him, taking a second to realize it was just someone who called out to him. He placed a hand on Fermata's shoulder, steadying the Lucario as well.